Chapter twenty three

Relief and Return

Takmet slowly reached out to Sasaki’s face. He hesitated a moment, expecting the whips of forces to reprimand his closeness. None came. Reassured, he gently brushed some of the hair away that stuck to her forehead, clinging to the sweat. He wiped her forehead of the perspiration residing there with his fingers. He was truly touching her. Truly touching her skin for the very first time without discomfort. Nothing was in their way and longer. He smiled gently.

Sasaki stirred as Takmet caressed her cheek. She opened her eyes slowly, expecting to see Nezbek. Her eyes widened when Takmet’s face greeted her instead. Sasaki smiled wearily. She brought her hand up to his and took it. Only then did she realize that they were touching. She sat up and stared at Takmet, still holding his hand.

He smiled. “It is gone. Nezbek did his job.”

“Truly?” Sasaki asked. She reached out her hand and hesitantly touched Takmet’s face. She looked into his eyes. Seeing that it was truly gone, she threw her arms around him and he could feel the smile on her lips against his cheek.

Takmet was surprised at first, but then he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, feeling her body’s shape against his. A great warmth filled them both. All it took was Takmet’s unhindered touch to awaken the rest of Isis in Sasaki.

She whispered to him, “Finally.”

He gave her a tight squeeze, then backed away a little, holding her face in his hands. He saw that she knew what he was going to do. He leaned in and kissed her, gently at first, savoring the feel of her lips. He realized by Sasaki’s reaction that she had never been kissed before, but she learned very quickly. He was proud to be the first-and hopefully only- man to do so. Their kiss quickly deepened and Sasaki felt Takmet’s hands drop from her face to her shoulders, and then to her back. He pulled her closer. Takmet realized what would happen at this rate. He wanted it to happen, very much. But not in someone else’s home. He broke the kiss, defying what every fiber in his being was telling him to do. His breathing was quick from the moment, as Sasaki’s was.

“Not here, not now, and not like this,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

“My thoughts exactly, unfortunately,” Takmet mumbled.

Hotep came in the room, already talking. “Takmet, you’d better come lo--” he turned his head and absorbed the scene. He held his hands up in surprise and said playfully, “Oh, I don’t want to interrupt this. Excuse me. I’ll just leave you two alone.” He started to back out of the room, one hand covering his eyes.

“Hotep,” Takmet said, exasperated. “Come here.”

“So you want me to watch?” He grinned as he reentered the room.

Sasaki blushed furiously and buried her face in Takmet’s shoulder.

“What is it?” Takmet asked.

“The weather just got a lot nastier and it looks like more of those serpents are on the way. Along with a horde of otherwise ungodly creatures.”

Takmet sighed. “Damn!” he swore. He got up and walked out the door of the house. “Yakumi!” he yelled. “What in Ra’s name is it that you want?”

Sasaki, a voice said.

“You cannot have her! Try again.”

You won’t like the condition Egypt will be in if you don’t hand her over to me, she said as a lightening bolt struck near the city. All of Egypt will be punished for your stubbornness.

“A fight then? You will not win. Both Sasaki and I know what we are. What we possess. We are complete.”

Impossible! That spell was virtually unbreakable.

“Search for yourself. It’s gone,” Takmet challenged her.

It can’t be….

Takmet smirked. “If you send these monsters our way, we will dispose of them, and then come after you.”

Silence followed. Then Yakumi’s voice broke the silence. You will regret your actions… I’ll see you again soon.” With that looming threat, Yakumi’s presence faded.

Takmet watched the rolling clouds retreat and the army of creatures shrank into nothingness on the horizon. Hotep looked on from the doorway. He had not heard Yakumi’s voice, but even he could feel the presence of evil.

“It seems she took you seriously,” Hotep said, standing next to Takmet in the street.

Takmet furrowed his eyebrows. “There is something wrong with the way she pulled back.”

Rei stepped outside, watching the disappearing black clouds. “She has something planned,” she said. “If she thought she could beat you she would have gone for it. She is now forced to resort to backup, probably for the first time.”

“Who would she get as backup?” Hotep asked.

“I don’t know. Unless we find her, which I guarantee will be impossible, we have to wait it out,” Rei sighed.

“We should at least wait at the palace,” Hotep said.

“Good point,” Takmet said. “But we aren’t in any condition to travel at the moment.” He ran his fingers over the cuts on his arms. “We are all tired.”

The three of them went back inside. Ami, Chloe, and Mandi were dozing against the wall, taking advantage of the temporary silence. Takmet stood for a moment, looking at them. There weren’t enough beds here, but at least it was somewhere for them to sleep.

“Go on, Takmet,” Hotep smiled, seeing his friend’s expression lose focus. “Sleep next to Sasaki tonight.”

Takmet looked at his friend and smiled. He walked back into the room Sasaki was in to find her dozing against the wall. When Takmet walked back into the room, she opened her eyes sleepily.

“What happened?” she asked, yawning.

“Nothing important at the moment,” he replied. He sighed and sat down at the end of the cot. He leaned against the wall, exhausted. Sasaki sat up and blinked sleepily at him. He smiled and opened his arms. “Come here.” Sasaki turned around on the cot and leaned against Takmet’s chest. He kissed the top of her head softly and smoothed her hair out. Within minutes they were both asleep.

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All of the travelers slept in late, including Nezbek. Their ordeal last night had tired them all out immensely. When they woke, Nezbek invited the group to stay the day, since traveling in the desert with the sun high in the sky was not a very good idea. They agreed.

The city was bustling. People were as eager to sell as ever and no one cared to bring up the happenings of the night before. The group wandering through the city received strange looks, however. No one pushes items for sale under their noses as they had when the girls had first arrived in ancient Egypt. Nezbek was rarely seen walking together with more than one person. He usually kept to himself and went into the heart of the city only for necessities and nothing more.

The group ate at a modest establishment in a corner of the busy inner city. Nezbek noticeably relaxed there, and so did the others. He was even relaxed enough to laugh after a drink of wine. Though the situation that still threatened Egypt was no laughing matter.

When the sun began to set they returned to Nezbek’s home and gathered their things, preparing for their trip back to the palace.

Takmet turned to Nezbek after he had put on his cloak. “Thank you, for everything. We have overstayed our welcome,” Takmet said as he put his hand on Nezbek’s shoulder. A flash of recognition brightened his vision for a moment, and suddenly the man standing there wasn’t Nezbek at all. Takmet blinked. Nezbek’s image was back.

Nezbek grinned, narrowing his eyes. “It was no trouble for me at all. And now you know why.”

Takmet’s expression slowly matched Nezbek’s grin. Suddenly Takmet hugged Nezbek and thumped him on the back like old friends would do. Nezbek responded equally.

Hotep saw the odd exchange. “Umm….is it just me, or wasn’t it just a moment ago that Takmet couldn’t stand that guy?”

Chloe shook her head. “I’ve got no clue. This is all way over our heads by now. I’ve stopped trying to understand it all ever since I saw that the Sphinx had a nose.”

Hotep looked pained. “You mean the nose falls off the Sphinx in the future?! C’mon! That’s prime construction there.” Hotep continued rambling as Takmet and Nezbek said goodbye.

Sasaki noticed Takmet’s eyes change somehow. Not in color, but where they led now. It was not Takmet who spoke with Nezbek.

“It hasn’t been long at all has it?” Nezbek asked.

“No, unfortunately. I thought I might have gotten a longer break, but alas….no such luck,” Takmet said. “A million thanks for what you did.”

“That was my part in this. I was only doing my duty.”

“And you did it well,” Takmet answered. “We had better be going now, though. The moon won’t wait.” He smiled.

“Safe journey then, you stubborn old man,” Nezbek replied, straight-faced.

“Don’t be calling me names, or I’ll have to report you.” Takmet turned to the group. “Ready?” he asked.

Everyone nodded. Sasaki, though, approached Nezbek.

“Thank you,” she smiled.

Nezbek took her hand and kissed it gently. “Don’t let your physical existence taint the pure soul that has been awakened in you. This life is a short one, and in the long run those memories that hurt us have no meaning.”

Sasaki was taken aback. Such knowing words from someone so young almost frightened her. But she smiled, knowing they were true. “Goodbye then.”

“Safe journey.” Nezbek said as she rejoined the others and they walked out the door.